e of
the Established Church--of their determination in their several departments
to further its objects. It was the duty of us all as Christians, but more
peculiarly that of the Ministers, to advance objects intimately connected
with the individual happiness of the people and with the stability of the
State. I said something too of the intrinsic strength of the Protestant
Church--of its rising in proportion to the difficulties which might
surround it, to the dangers--if dangers there were (the Primate had spoken
of them)--of its security in the zeal and ability of its ministers, and in
the purity of its doctrines.

On the whole I did well. I was loudly cheered--indeed, so much interrupted
as to be enabled to think what I should say next.

Indian business in the morning--Coal Committee.

_May 20._

Dined at the London Tavern with the Directors, at what is called a family
dinner, to meet Mr. Elphinstone, the late Governor of Bombay. He has been
thirty-three years absent from England, having left it at fifteen. He is
one of the most distinguished servants the Company has ever had. He seems
to be a quiet, mild, temperate man. I had some conversation with him, and
have fixed that he should come to the Indian Board on Tuesday. I wish to
have his opinion as to the expediency of governing India in the King's
name.

The Duke told Lord Bathurst and me the King had been very angry with him
for going to the Duke of Norfolk's dinner, and now openly expressed his
wish to get rid of his Ministers. The Duke wrote to the King and told him
it really was not a subject he thought it necessary to speak to him about,
that he dined with everybody and asked everybody to dinner, that had he
known beforehand who were to dine with the Duke of Norfolk, which he did
not, he could not have objected to any one of them. That the King himself
had dined with the Duke of Norfolk. That most of the persons invited were
either in his Majesty's service, or had been.

It seems the king desired it might be intimated to the Duke that he was
much displeased at the dinner, and that he and Cumberland damned us all.

I told the Duke and Lord Bathurst what occurred at the dinner yesterday,
with which they were much gratified.

_May 21._

Went to the Cabinet room at 2. Read papers, by which it seems that the
Russian army is very little stronger than at the commencement of the last
campaign, and that its materials are not so good. It has as yet no medica